BEYONCE TO STAR IN FOX ANIMATED FILM EPIC

20th Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios have set its voice cast for Epic, the new 3D CG-animated film by the makers of Ice Age and Rio. The film, which had been developed under the title Leafmen, will star Beyonce Knowles as Queen Tara, Colin Farrell as Ronin, The Hunger Games‘ Josh Hutcherson as Nod, Amanda Seyfried as Mary Katherine, Johnny Knoxville as Mandrake, Aziz Ansari as Mub, rapper Pitbull as Bufo, Jason Sudeikis as Bomba, and Aerosmith and American Idol frontman Steven Tyler as Nim Galuu. Blake Anderson and Judah Friedlander are also in the cast.

Beyonce

The film is directed by Ice Age helmer Chris Wedge, with Lori Forte and Jerry Davis producing. It is described as a battle deep in the forest between the forces of good and evil. When a teenaged girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she must band together with a rag-tag team of fun and whimsical characters to save that world, which in turn saves the real world. Epic will be released May 24, 2013.

This becomes the first movie project for Beyonce since she took time off for maternity leave. She is also attached to star in the Clint Eastwood-directed remake of A Star Is Born for Warner Bros.